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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Jeremiah 17:5 - 17:18
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The Depth of the Nation's Corruption
v. 5. Thus saith the Lord, in rebuking the tendency of Judah to rely upon various heathen allies, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, as the Jews did in relying upon Egypt, and maketh flesh his arm, in depending upon the strength of men, and whose heart departeth from the Lord, this fact explaining the reason for such foolish trust in man.
v. 6. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, literally, "like a naked one in the wilderness," one destitute of all means of subsistence, and shall not see when good cometh, shall never see good fortune, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, where the lack of water prevents the maturing of crops, in a salt land, where the soil is impregnated with alkali, and not inhabited. Over against such a person the Lord pictures him who conducts himself in agreement with His will.
v. 7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, with the confidence of true faith, and whose hope the Lord Isaiah Cf Psa_1:3-4.
v. 8. For he, utterly unlike the man whose description has just been given, shall be as a tree planted by the waters, where a plentiful supply of moisture insures a luxuriant growth, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, being unaffected by its fiery breath, but her leaf shall be green, on account of her perpetual supply of life-giving water; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, there being no cause to worry even then, neither shall cease from yielding fruit, because the stream at which it is located will never dry up. In order to bring this truth home with particular emphasis, the Lord describes the human heart as it Isaiah
v. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, full of perfidy and treachery, and desperately wicked, profoundly corrupt; who can know it? Who can understand and plumb the depths of its wickedness? This alone is reason enough why no man should place confidence in the ideas of his heart.
v. 10. I, the Lord, search the heart, I try the reins, the seat of the innermost desires and feelings, even to give every man according to his ways, as his conduct deserves, and according to the fruit of his doings, in accordance with his deeds, as the expression of his heart's condition.
v. 11. As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not, or, "a partridge hatching eggs which it has not laid," so he that getteth riches, and not by right, accumulating unjust wealth, ill-gotten gain, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a tool, the foolishness of his acts appearing at the end of his life.
v. 12. A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary, or, in the form of an address directed to the seat of God's majesty, "Thou throne of glory, loftiness from the beginning, place of our Sanctuary!" Zion, where God revealed Himself to His people, where His glory was enthroned above the lid of the Ark, is here regarded as a person, in order to heighten the effect of the appeal, which now turns directly to God.
v. 13. O Lord, the Hope of Israel! the God of the covenant being the only one in whom the Jews might expect redemption, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from Me shall be written in the earth, their names being traced in loose soil or sand, where the writing would soon be obliterated, because they have forsaken the Lord, the Fountain of living waters. Jer_2:13. In connection with this the prophet begs the Lord to grant him deliverance from his enemies.
v. 14. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed, both making him whole in his distress and keeping him so; save me, and I shall be saved, delivered from the enemies who were seeking his soul; for Thou art my Praise, the object of his confident boasting. Cf Psa_71:6; Deu_10:21.
v. 15. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? How is it that His threats are not fulfilled? Let it come now! The enemies challenge the prophet to produce proofs of the truth which he declared he was proclaiming in the name of the Lord.
v. 16. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow Thee, he had not left his duties as shepherd in his home town, in precipitous haste for the sake of being Jehovah's special minister, or, he had not withdrawn himself hastily from the Lord's service; neither have I desired the woeful day, Thou knowest, he had not wished that the day of calamity might strike Judah; that which came out of my lips was right before Thee, it was not only known to the Lord, but it was uttered by His express command.
v. 17. Be not a terror unto me, causing consternation to strike him; Thou art my Hope in the day of evil, his Refuge in the time of distress.
v. 18. Let them be confounded that persecute me, so that they will be heaped with disgrace before him, but let not me be confounded, with his simple trust in the Lord; let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed. Bring upon them the day of evil, the promised destruction, and destroy them with double destruction, literally, "with a double portion in ruin. " This was not a prayer of vindictiveness, but of zeal for the honor of the Lord, which was at stake in the attacks made upon His servant. A prayer that the Lord would avenge His honor in punishing His enemies is altogether in order to this day.